1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the provision of suitable lighting for photography and is directed more particularly to a soft box assembly for disposition around a light source used to illuminate a subject to be photographed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in photography to use light reflectors, known as “soft boxes” to obtain even light diffusion from a light source, commonly a light bulb. Such devices typically include a panel of flexible material, usually a metallized cloth, which is provided with an open central portion and an outer perimeter. A pole support assembly is disposed in the panel open central portion and is adapted to receive inner ends of poles which extend outwardly from the support assembly and connect to portions of the panel, to maintain the panel in the preferred stretched configuration. The support assembly attaches to a light source support or housing, such that the panel surrounds and extends outwardly from the light source and serves to project diffused lighting on photographic subjects.
The aforementioned poles usually are somewhat flexible and tend to hold the panel in a taut, stretched condition. Inasmuch as the poles, when properly placed for support of the panel, are under axial compression, setting up or taking down the soft box assembly can be problematic in that inserting or removing the poles usually is a bit of a struggle. Given that time is of the essence in some instances, as in news photography, there is a need for a soft box assembly which can be easily and quickly set up and taken down.